D-day for Price as Bulldogs prepare Ryan

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The patient: Bulldogs captain Steve Price sits in a hyperbaric chamber having treatment on his knee.Photo: Steve Christo

Bulldogs 30 Panthers 14

An MRI scan today will determine whether captain Steve Price's decade at the Bulldogs ends in heartbreak or with a shot at going out with a premiership.

The prop missed all but three minutes of Saturday night's 30-14 preliminary final win over Penrith at Aussie Stadium due to a knee injury and is poised to fuel a week of speculation over his availability for what would be his final game for the club before joining the Warriors. There are fears that Price has a grade two medial ligament tear, an injury that normally involves three or four weeks of recovery time.

"It's a little bit stiff and sore today," Price said yesterday at the Bulldogs' recovery session. "I can't have an MRI scan until tomorrow and we should know more then.

"A medial is not the worst thing you can have. It will be really disappointing if I can't play but I don't want to let the team down. It will be up to the coach to make a decision. If I'm not out there, I will still be supporting the guys and I'm sure whoever is there will do a great job."

Injuries also played a major part in Penrith's premiership defence ending in front of 37,808 fans, with second-rower Joe Galuvao (eye) forced off in the 17th minute and prop Joel Clinton (knee) playing no part in the second half.

The Panthers' misfortune worsened when fullback Rhys Wesser was sent to the sin bin in the 41st minute for a professional foul. The Bulldogs scored just one try in his absence but Penrith's defenders had been run off their feet, with only two fit players on the interchange bench.

Aside from Price, it was all good news for the Bulldogs. Five-eighth Braith Anasta had been in doubt all week with a sternum injury but predicted yesterday he would be "close to 100 per cent" for the grand final.

"It's come up really good. I was pretty nervous going into the game, I didn't know what to expect," he said yesterday. "I was worried about how it was going to go but it didn't trouble me at all. It sure wasn't excruciating or anything like that."

Bulldogs winger Hazem El Masri kicked only five goals from eight attempts - poor by his standards - but a hat-trick of tries carried him to a record 344 points for the season. The first came in the 25th minute after a Brent Sherwin stab-kick to the right corner, but Wesser responded for Penrith six minutes before half-time against the run of play.

During Wesser's absence, Anasta scored one try and was denied another by quick-thinking Penrith hooker Luke Priddis, who punched the ball from his grasp when he was diving over the try line. But the damage was done, Bulldogs replacement Reni Maitua crossing in the 54th minute near the posts before El Masri scored tries two and three with 14 and six minutes to go.

Although second-rower Willie Mason assumed a leadership role among the players, gathering them in a huddle at full-time to declare: "One more f---king week," Andrew Ryan is likely to captain the Bulldogs in the grand final if Price is out.

"I've never been captain before so it was a bit unexpected but there are so many leaders in the side it made it easy for me," Ryan said yesterday. "I'm not thinking about being captain next week because we're all hoping Steve will be all right."

Penrith coach John Lang and captain Craig Gower refused to blame the injuries and Wesser's sin-binning for the loss. "In the end we just had too many missed tackles," said Gower, who tipped the Dogs to win the premiership.

Galuvao will be fit for next month's Tri-Nations series but Clinton revealed he had been battling a shoulder injury and may not be available for Australia.

THE BIG PLAYS

WHAT WENT RIGHT FOR THE BULLDOGS

Steve Folkes's men stuck to their task, even when things went against them, and had the patience to wear their rivals down. Hazem El Masri more than made up for an average night with the boot by popping up in the middle of the field when it mattered. The winger was rewarded with three tries.BOTTOM LINE: A win fuelled by determination and talent.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR THE PANTHERS

Joe Galuvao (eye) and prop Joel Clinton (knee) being forced off with the game far from over and Ben Ross, Frank Pritchard and Luke Swain already in the stands. Rhys Wesser sent to the sin bin for a professional foul one minute into the second half. In the words of captain Craig Gower: too many missed tackles.BOTTOM LINE: A depleted Penrith side was no match for the healthy and confident Bulldogs.